My Gang of Swordsmen

Chapter 589: Chapter 188: Elodie: ”Mr. Tachibana! Please Take Me as Your Disciple!” [Burst Update 10k Words]

In the Edo Era, a time where ”unless favored by a superior person, the position you can hold largely depends on your family status,” being elevated to the rank of Hatamoto would truly make you a ”superior person.”

However, for Aoto, he was more concerned about where he would be promoted next compared to the matters of enhancing family salary or status.

It would be absolutely impossible not to care about which new government office he would be transferred to afterward.

But no matter how much Aoto cared or concerned himself with his future career, it was useless.

As he just mentioned, such matters were completely beyond what he could influence with his personal will.

What he could do now was quietly recuperate, patiently waiting for the superiors to announce the rewards and his future appointments.

Considering the significant contributions made by Aoto, the superiors were surely going to carefully review how to reward him.

And with the Edo Shogunate severely overstaffed, its efficiency was not commendable.

So, without a month or two, Aoto certainly wouldn’t hear about his rewards or promotions.

”Nothing much to report at the Magistrate’s Office recently. However, the Shogunate side... things haven’t been too peaceful lately.”

Perhaps feeling that the topic of ”Aoto’s promotion destination” had been exhausted, Arima redirected the conversation back to the ”any news at the Magistrate’s Office recently” topic that Aoto had just brought up.

Arima’s sudden remark caught Aoto’s attention, and he turned to look at Arima.

Aoto confirmed with his gaze toward Arima. This action, of course, meant ”Has something big happened recently at the Shogunate?”

Feeling Aoto’s gaze, Arima pondered for a moment, thought of his phrasing, and then slowly said:

”The ’Hitotsubashi faction’ has recently intensified the pressure on Duke Dashu, demanding him to quickly settle scores with Ii Dairou and insisting Her Highness Tenshōin retreat behind the scenes.”

Aoto raised an eyebrow, lifting his hand to scratch the back of his head: ”The ’Hitotsubashi faction’ is really persistent...”

As for what Arima just mentioned, Aoto... no, it should be said that all people within the government had heard about it.

Duke Dashu: An honorific for the Shogunate General.

Ever since the brain-damaged general Tokugawa Iedzumi with his pathological mental issues, and no offspring or reproductive ability, came to power two years ago, the Edo Shogunate split into two political factions:

Those supporting Tokugawa Iemochi as the successor General were known as the ”Nanki Faction.”

Those supporting Hitotsubashi Yoshinobu as the successor General formed the ”Hitotsubashi Faction.”

Since their inception, these two major factions have been locked in visible and underhand struggles due to differing political philosophies.

The leader of the ”Nanki Faction,” Ii Naosuke, by virtue of his iron-fisted tactics, ultimately managed to lead the ”Nanki Faction” to suppress the ”Hitotsubashi Faction,” successfully pushing Tokugawa Iemochi to succeed as the new Shogunate General.

After the ”Nanki Faction” gained power under the leadership of Ii Naosuke, a brutal crackdown on the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” was initiated within the Shogunate dominated by Ii Naosuke.

A large number of officials and members related to the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” were imprisoned, killed, with casualties reaching over a hundred.

While Ii Naosuke’s methods of suppression were quite ruthless... the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” was severely hit but not completely annihilated.

Remnants of the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” lay low, awaiting a shift in the situation.

And sure enough, a major shift in the situation awaited them—Ii Naosuke was assassinated outside the Sakurada Gate three months ago.

The leader of the ”Nanki Faction” suddenly died, and with Ii Naosuke gone, the ”Nanki Faction” became leaderless... the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” immediately launched a fierce counterattack!

The political influence of the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” surged and developed rapidly.

The wheel of fortune turned... as the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” re-emerged and rapidly grew, they began to pressure the Shogunate General Tokugawa Iemochi, demanding he settle scores with the late Ii Naosuke, who had persecuted countless ”Righteous People.”

Simultaneously, the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” insisted, citing ”how can women participate in governance and politics,” that the Shogun’s Principal Consort should solely manage the Da Ao, and demanded Her Highness Tenshōin retreat behind the scenes and stop appearing frequently upfront.

The intentions of the ”Hitotsubashi Faction”... were crystal clear.

They aimed to compress Tokugawa Iemochi’s power and to weaken the ”Nanki Faction.”

Aoto had heard of all these matters more than a month ago.

More than a month had passed, and the ”Hitotsubashi Faction” had intensified their pressure on Tokugawa Iemochi... it seemed they wouldn’t stop unless they avenged Ii Naosuke and forced Her Highness Tenshōin to retreat behind the scenes.

”It’s said that Duke Dashu is struggling increasingly in responding to the ’Hitotsubashi Faction’s’ pressure,” Inagawa remarked with a wry smile, picking up the thread of conversation, ”From the current circumstances, Duke Dashu might indeed succumb to the pressure, punishing the Ii Clan and allowing Her Highness Tenshōin to retreat behind the scenes...”

It’s a known fact within the government that Tokugawa Iemochi struggled under the ”Hitotsubashi Faction’s” pressure.

Tokugawa Iemochi, having assumed the position of Shogunate General only two years ago, was still just a 14-year-old youth.

Originally the Daimyo of the Kishu Domain, Tokugawa Iemochi was brought in because the former General Tokugawa Iedzumi had no offspring or reproductive ability.

In simple terms—Tokugawa Iemochi was parachuted into the Edo Shogunate and was not cultivated from a young age as the successor ”Crown Prince.”

A general who was parachuted in with a short incumbency... Tokugawa Iemochi had almost no foundational base within the Shogunate.

What he could rely on was the advisory support of Her Highness Tenshōin and the officials of the ”Nanki Faction” led by Ii Naosuke.